Dallas Stars, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages officially open Eastside YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth playground

FRISCO, Texas - The Dallas Stars Foundation partnered with Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages to build a playground inspired by the community surrounding Eastside YMCA. The playground is a play space and athletic park built by Child's Play.

"We're incredibly proud to officially open the Eastside YMCA playground - a space built for joy, growth, health and community," said Dallas Stars President and CEO Brad Alberts. "As one of the most significant investments our organization has made, it represents our commitment in hopes to give every child a safe and inspiring place to play, learn and thrive. Not only are we opening a playground, but we're creating opportunities for connection and brighter futures for families across DFW."

The newly constructed area allows for fitness for the whole family and gives the opportunity for all abilities and ages to work on and improve overall fitness. The playground consists of three main areas:

• The Burke 5-Adult Fitness Area, which has multiple stations focusing on core muscle development and a full upper body workout.
• The Burke Elevate Fitness area, where agility, full body strength and endurance are both developed and put to the test, including “The Victory Wall” which has many different levels of difficulty, you can choose your path and choose your difficulty level.  
• The Burke 2-5 Intensity Fitness Play Area, where everything fun leads to better fitness. Testing, challenging and building core body strength starts at an early age with Burke’s Play that moves you. You are able to get a fitness workout while playing and then pretend to be smoothing out the ice on the Dallas Stars Zamboni.

The two older fitness areas have Shaw Artificial Play Turf with a pad to soften falls, while the 2-5 Fitness Playground has Corkeen natural cork surfacing for its cushioning. Corkeen is the natural bark of the cork oak tree and the waste product of the wine cork industry. Bringing nature back into playground surfacing is what Corkeen is all about. Sustainable, natural and a safe surface to play on that does not get as hot as other play surfaces.

“This project is a powerful example of what’s possible when organizations come together to invest in community. Thanks to the support of the Dallas Stars Foundation and Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, this new playground will create lasting impact for the families we serve and provide a space where kids can simply be kids.” Eddie Dobbins, Interim CEO & Chief Operating Officer of the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth.

“As the local Coca-Cola bottler, it is a privilege to partner with the Dallas Stars and Eastside YMCA on this special community project,” said Derek Alexander, VP Commercial, Marketing & Digital for Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages. “Spaces such as this provide communities a special place to connect, play and grow.”

ABOUT YMCA OF METROPOLITAN FORT WORTH

The YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs, services and relationships that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. The organization seeks to transform lives by ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to grow and thrive, regardless of age, income, or background. Established in 1890, when Fort Worth was just a frontier town, the YMCA now directly serves Tarrant, Johnson, Parker, and Hood counties and impacts more than 220,000 residents each year, through 10 dedicated facilities, more than 50 program locations and numerous programs and services across the region. The YMCA is focused on strategic priorities in youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Programs and services are available at YMCA locations in Bedford, Benbrook, Fort Worth, Granbury, and Joshua. Facilities include community centers as well as a sports complex and a 360-acre camp along the banks of the Trinity River. For more information, visit YMCAFW.org.

ABOUT ARCA CONTINENTAL COCA-COLA SOUTHWEST BEVERAGES

Dallas-based Arca Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages (CCSWB) is one of the largest Coca-Cola bottlers in the United States. The company employs more than 9,000 associates who operate 7 production plants and 37 distribution facilities. CCSWB produces, markets and distributes Coca-Cola brands throughout Texas and parts of Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arkansas. CCSWB strives to provide human and financial capital to the communities in which it operates, as well as create a lasting impact through volunteerism and millions of dollars in cash contributions and product donations annually.